Career and College Readiness
Today's students are building the skills they need to navigate a world of the future we can’t even imagine. We're focused on getting them ready for career, college, and life.
We want each of our graduates to have mastery over essential skills they’ll need for education, career and life success, exposure to college-level rigor; and, a sense of career paths that may bring them joy and success. Above all, we want each student should know themselves as a learner and know how they can unlock their learning for life.
On this page, find information about:
- Career Exploration within our three Career and College Pathways
- How to Earn College Credit and achieve our district's goal for each graduate to have earned 12 college credits by the end of 12th grade
- Our Advancement in Individual Determination (AVID) program that helps support students' academic success
- Our Community Partnership Opportunities and ways to get involved to help make a difference in our programs
- Career and and College Readiness stories that showcase how students are being set up for success for life after high school
Explore Careers
Career and College Pathways are sets of courses within specific industry and career sectors. Each Pathway represents a predicted need for future jobs. Courses provide real-world experience as students develop skills within a field and opportunities to explore different career options and even earn college credit. Students can sample courses in many Pathways or take all the courses within a specific Pathway as they prepare for additional post-secondary education, training or work opportunities after high school. There are three pathways:
Business and Entrepreneurship Pathway
The Business and Entrepreneurship Pathway is designed to give students experience in the many careers within the industry, while also exposing them to the varying types of business, including startups, small businesses, corporations and nonprofit companies. Students in this pathway will have the option to deeply explore or expose themselves to marketing, finance, leadership, business management, analytics and other sectors. They will also gain the necessary communication skills to thrive in the business world whether they wish to start their own company or join a fast-paced corporate environment. Explore Business and Entrepreneurship Pathway courses.
Health and Human Services Pathway
The Health and Human Services Pathway exposes students to careers that meet the basic needs of our communities, including the health of individuals and families, assistance with social services, help with preventing and solving problems and striving to provide the highest quality of life possible through wellness and education. Students who choose to go into this growing field will be part of fostering advances in medicine, public health and social services. This pathway gives students several opportunities for hands-on learning in the field. Explore Health and Human Services Pathway courses.
Technology, Engineering and Design Pathway
The Technology, Engineering and Design Pathway is designed to give students a chance to explore and gain experience in the world of modern technology. In these courses, students will learn about the advances and innovation within the design, engineering, and information systems fields. Through hands-on experiences with simulations, projects, case studies, and guest instructors, students will also gain collaborative skills, which is critical to the needs of today’s workforce. Explore Technology, Engineering and Design Pathway courses.
Earn College Credit
Increasingly, any path beyond high school requires some exposure to college-level rigor. Our goal is for each graduate to have an opportunity to earn 12 college credits by the end of the 12th grade – without leaving their Spring Lake Park High School experience. There are many routes to achieving 12 by 12.
Research shows that completion of one semester of college-level work results in higher success at the post-secondary level, regardless of what path you take. College-level rigor is preparation for 2-year, 4-year and technical training and jobs. It also makes financial sense. Earning college credits now saves money in the future.
All three career pathways – Health and Human Services, Business and Entrepreneurship and Technology, Engineering and Design – have courses that provide college credit options. These courses help you explore these careers field and help you make decisions about what type of college or certification you may want to do after high school.
As you explore courses at Spring Lake Park High School, look for the 12x12 symbol. This tells you college credit is available.
- Advanced Placement (AP)
- Embedded College
- Articulated College Credit
- Project Lead the Way
- 916 Career and Technical Center
- Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)
Advanced Placement (AP)
Embedded College
Articulated College Credit
Project Lead the Way
916 Career and Technical Center
Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)
Advancement in Individual Determination (AVID)
AVID programming in Spring Lake Park Schools supports students’ academic success at Spring Lake Park Schools and beyond. The theory behind AVID is that students will succeed in rigorous courses and be college and career-ready if provided the proper support. AVID offers that support through a curriculum focused on strengthening a student’s skills in writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading, often referred to as WICOR.
We provide two layers of AVID programming.
- Schoolwide, AVID curriculum is embedded in grades 5-12, including purposeful opportunities to learn the WICOR strategies and for all teachers to embed these strategies in their learning designs.
- Elective course, in grades 7-12, is offered to provide students in the academic middle who are college bound focused support in in the WICOR strategies, application of these strategies in the rigorous courses they are taking, as well as career and college exploration opportunities.
Community Partnership Opportunities
Community partners are essential in our work to develop the workforce and community members of the future. There are ways to get involved at Spring Lake Park High School, from your workplace and through financial and other donations. Contact Eric Van Brocklin, SLPHS career pathways leader, if you are a community member who wants to get involved.
Spring Lake Park High School is committed to providing these experiences to promote post-secondary considerations with our students in collaboration with our community and industry partners.
Read how our students are being set up for success for life after high school
Julian Christensen and Trevon Holeman started their senior year unsure how to get a job and gain experience within the career path they want to pursue after graduation - mechanics. After understanding and taking advantage of the resources available to them through the Spring Lake Park High School Career and College office, both students now have a part-time job at Heartland Tire.
Senior Maria Mora-Pena has discovered a passion for medicine and wants to pursue a career in healthcare after she graduates high school next spring. To help her achieve this goal, she has gone deep into the Health and Human Services Pathway at Spring Lake Park High School, taking many courses that align with her emerging interests.
Spring Lake Park High School is celebrating College Knowledge Month throughout October. With Minnesota colleges and universities there are a number of special events happening throughout the month to support students in applying for college.
Last fall, senior Owen Adwan was encouraged to attend an apprenticeship open house for Bühler Group. Now, he is part of a two-year apprenticeship program where he works hands-on, will earn an associate's degree and graduate debt free. Hear from Owen how his time at SLP prepared him for this opportunity.